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' @uitrit tats# 'atrnt @frn JAMES T. CLARK AND JOHN D. BESLER, OFGALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 80,601, datedvrlugust'fl, 1868.

TO'ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, JAMES T. CLARK and JOHN D. BESLER, both ofGalesburg, in the county of Knox,l and State of Illinois, have inventeda new and usefulFTrcble-Sat'ety Itailroad-Switch and we deherehy declarethat the following is a full and exact description thereof, referencebeing had tothe accompanying drawings, making part of our specification,in which- Figure 1 represents the position ofthe rails and switchesadjusted for the main track.

Figure 2, the same, adjusted for the right track, and

Figure 3 the same, adjusted for the left track. i

The nature of our invention consists in thecombination of two shortand'two long pointed movable rails with two stationary rails, soarranged that it forms a treble-safety railroad-switch, as will behereina-Fterffully explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewlll proceed to describe its construc,

` tion and operation. Y

A is a point, to which come three different railroad-tracks, B B', C C',and D D', C C being the main track. The ends of the outside rails, I3and D', of these tracks connect with the ends of the two stationaryrails E E', extending from the point A to the point I", Where they meetthe rails TKT of the regular track.' Inside ofthe stationary rails E E',at the point A, are attached to the tie, in a usual way, four movablepointed rails, consisting of two pairs, et' ditcrent lengthsthe rails GrGr' of the shortest pair being placed opposite the rails O and I3', andthe rails II H', of the longest pair, opposite the rails D and C', eachpair being moved. independently by connecting-rods m n and target-leversM N, which are supposed to be worked by one man. We make the shortmovable pointed rails about fourteen, and the long onesrabouttwenty-four feet long, but this length may vary more or less, accordingto circumstances. A v

The operation consists in this, that for the main track C @'the switchesare moved in opposite directions, the short switch G G being switched tothe stationary rail E, and the long switch II II' to the stationary railE', as represented ou iig. I. i ,For other tracks, both switches aremoved'in the same direction, viz, for the track B B they arc moved tothe-rail E', as on fig. 2, and for the track D D' they are moved to therail E, as on iig. 3.

'i The advantages of our treble-switch over the common treble stub-railswitch now in use, are obvious. There,

if a movable bar is not in its proper place, the train, by leaving thedepot, where most of theiaccidents: happen, i will run oit` the track,while in our arrangement, ii' a switch is not properly placed, theilanges of the car-wheels, entering gradually and wedge-like into thespaces 'between the stationary and the pointed rails, wili set theswitches to their proper places, and although they will bend theconnecting-rods and the target-levers of the switches', will never runofid the track.

We are aware that a switch has heretofore been made having one pair et'movable rails, and therefore wc do notV claim such; but, havingdescribed our invention,

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,isv The combination ofthe two short, G G', and two long, II II', pointedmovable rails with two stationary rails E E', forming a treble-safetyvswitch, the whole arranged andoperating substantially as and in themanner herein described and specified.

J. T. CLARK, l J. D. BESLER.

Witnesses:

JOHN PETERSON, II. W. GAarENTEn.

